Direct Request (CEACR) - adopted 2002, published 91st ILC session (2003)

The Committee notes the information contained in the Government’s report and the documentation enclosed.

1. The Committee recalls that, according to article 36(2) of the 1973 Constitution of the Syrian Arab Republic, the State must guarantee the right of every citizen "to earn his wage according to the nature and yield of the work". The Committee further notes that, as stated in article 45 of the Constitution, the State guarantees women "all opportunities enabling them to fully and effectively participate in the political, social, cultural and economic life" of the country and that the State has the obligation to "remove the restrictions that prevent women’s development and participation in building the socialist Arab society".

2. The Committee notes the Government’s statement that there are no differences between men and women in wage fixing, as wages are determined in a general fashion, according to non-discriminatory laws, decisions and rules. It would however draw the Government’s attention to the need to also address any inequalities and disparities that may exist in practice, which often result from a number of factors, such as lower, less appropriate and less career-oriented education, training and skills levels for women; horizontal and vertical occupational segregation of women into lower paying jobs or occupations and lower level positions without promotion opportunities; household and family responsibilities being primarily borne by women; and pay structures (Committee of Experts, General Report, 2001, paragraph 40). The Committee asks the Government to provide more information about any promotional campaigns or training sessions it holds or intends to organize to develop the awareness of workers and employers on the importance of promoting equal pay for work of equal value.

3. The Committee notes the Government’s statement that "there are special occupations for women (handicrafts, textiles, etc.)" and that it "attaches special importance to the issue of women’s vocational training". The Committee would appreciate information on Government action to improve the situation of women working in these "special occupations", including information on the remuneration paid in these female-dominated occupations in comparison to remuneration paid in male-dominated occupations. It asks the Government to provide examples of measures it has taken to improve access to better paid occupations and also to widen women’s vocational training choices to enable them to move into occupations and positions that attract higher levels of pay.

4. The Committee notes the statistical information provided by the Government. In particular, it notes that a significant amount of female workers are being employed as technicians or professionals (27.4 per cent) or in the agricultural industry (51.1 per cent), compared to men (9 per cent and 23.2 per cent, respectively) (Multiple Purpose Survey, 1999). The Committee takes note of the Government’s undertaking to send in future statistics on the average earnings of men and women and on the proportion of women in the various sectors at different levels of the labour market, in both the public and the private sectors, in collaboration with the Central Office for Statistics.